Copperhead bit my dog in her face

[CountryB]

I don't know how the dog would have not know the snake was there but that looked to be what happened. Later,
Dan

When I first moved to the country and got my first dog, I thought I would now be safe from snakes - after all I have a dog on the watch. So one day I was walking the dog around the property on a leash (before I fenced the yard in) and I saw a black snake up ahead on the path. I thought "here's the test" - but when we got up to the snake the dog stepped on it and didn't notice it. After that, I figured I'd better look out for myself.

 

[orezok]

Out here, it's the third person in line that gets bit. The first wakes it up, the second ticks it off, the third gets bit!

 

[dmccarty]

When I first moved to the country and got my first dog, I thought I would now be safe from snakes - after all I have a dog on the watch. So one day I was walking the dog around the property on a leash (before I fenced the yard in) and I saw a black snake up ahead on the path. I thought "here's the test" - but when we got up to the snake the dog stepped on it and didn't notice it. After that, I figured I'd better look out for myself.

Kelly's nick name was The Nose. She was always smelling stuff. If anyone walked into the house, Kelly would walk up and push her nose into them to get a good whiff. :shocked::laughing::laughing::laughing: She was a GSD so that could put some people off.

One of the first things I had noticed about Kelly was how she used her sense of smell. It just was unreal what she would do because of that ability.

Kelly had her nose to the ground when she went to go to the bathroom so she should have smelled the snake, if there was a snake there, but she did not. It was a bit dark out so seeing a Copperhead in the leaves would have been difficult but I figured she would have smelled the danged thing.

She was a great dog and I sure miss her.

Later,
Dan

 

[ustmd]

Hope the dog does okay.

I have had two separate vets tell me that the dog recovery rate of anti-venom vs anti-histamine (what you are doing) is exactly the same. My vet recommends that you keep liquid Benadryl in the house for dog snake bites as it is easier to get them to take after a snake bite.

 

[om21braz]

Glad to hear she's doing well and y'all are taking good care of her.

 

[newbury]

Eddie - Keep us posted, we are all concerned for your beautiful dogs.

Do you have pet insurance? The way vet bills go these days I'm going to get it for my next dog(s). We dropped about 20K trying to keep our beloved Corgi alive.

 

[oosik]

We are definitely in rattlesnake country here(Western rattlesnake). In all my travels around my property I've never seen a single one in 34 years. We are loaded with garter snakes and a seldom seen rubber boa. Neither of those are any problem.

The very best for your beloved dog.

 

[Pettrix]

2 years ago our Lab had a confrontation with a 4' Copperhead. Fortunately I managed to call him off before he was bitten. Went back to the house to get a kill shovel but the Copperhead had escaped.

Wow, they have Copperheads in Indiana? I was not aware of that.

 

[nickmags]

Had similar situation happen to my English Short Hair Pointer while quail hunting few years back. Dog was bit just back of the nose. Swelled up, looked ugly for days, but for recovered just fine. Only problem was it affected her sense of smell. She was nearly worthless as a hunter afterward. She would back another dog, but hunting her solo was a waste of time. She positively hated snakes after that. Became a "snake hunter" Went after them with a vengeance. Never heard of such foolishness as snake avoidance training. Sounds like something we should send voters to or maybe used car buyers rather than pups.

 

[Thall303]

Had similar situation happen to my English Short Hair Pointer while quail hunting few years back. Dog was bit just back of the nose. Swelled up, looked ugly for days, but for recovered just fine. Only problem was it affected her sense of smell. She was nearly worthless as a hunter afterward. She would back another dog, but hunting her solo was a waste of time. She positively hated snakes after that. Became a "snake hunter" Went after them with a vengeance. Never heard of such foolishness as snake avoidance training. Sounds like something we should send voters to or maybe used car buyers rather than pups.

Snake avoidance training is common in quail hunting areas in South Texas and can be credited with saving many dogs.